NEW ALBUMS

A selection of new and reissued guitar releases, including Album Of The Month

Album Of The Month

KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD TROUBLE IS…25

(Provogue Records) 9/10

Twenty-five years after its first release, Kenny Wayne Shepherd has re-recorded Trouble Is. The 1997 album helped put him on the map as an outstanding blues musician at the ripe young age of 18, infused with great songs and impressive Hendrix/SRV guitar theatrics. Comparisons could be made between 1997 and 2022 but it’s worthwhile listening to this with fresh ears as Kenny and his band show just how great the songs are and what years of performing them live can do in the studio. Certainly his guitar chops and tones have a power that only experience can enrich. For guitar fans, there is a lot of it on the album from riffs, licks and extended solos that show his rhythmic, chordal and soloing appeal. Slow Ride has a funky groove and tons of great playing, the Strat strutting of True Lies is a perfect driving song, while Everything Is Broken evokes considerable SRV magic. The stinging solo on Jimi’s I Don’t Live Today is quite something, as is the Texas swagger of Somehow, Somewhere, Someway. Brilliant burning blues, born again! (JS)

Steve Hill

DEAR ILLUSION

(No Label Records) 8/10

Blues-rock fans will like this new album from Canadian singer-guitarist Steve Hill; 10 tracks of upbeat, horn section infused songs with spirited vocals and punchy guitar. All About The Love has a slinky riff and gospel-like big beat drums, and its stinging solo has a biting Texas vibe, a la Albert King. The motorway friendly Keep It Together has a spirited drive, and the ZZ Top tinged beat and rhythm of Everything You Got has chart single quality stamped all over it. Dear Illusion is a passionate ballad and Steal The Light From You has a great Tom Petty/Americana vibe. Dropped D riffer Don’t Let The Truth Get In The Way (Of A Good Story) tells a good yarn and is augmented by The Devil Horns. The soulful Stax were presented to the others in the studio and then recorded. Certainly, there’s a freshness, an exploratory quality to the music that’s in keeping with much of Blue Note’s’ past canon of classic recordings. Dear Old Friend is a pleasingly soft and warm opener, headed up by Greg’s sax. The Pioneers has a bluesy Americana quality with Bill’s guitar flitting between chords and counterlines. The funky Holiday explores staccato rhythms and angular lines as the band darts around itself. The moody Lookout For Hope keeps the ears peeled as piano and guitar provide sizzling chords alongside bass clarinet phrasing. The bluesy New Orleans vibed Waltz For Hal Willner is most inviting, as is Good Dog, Happy Man. (JS)

ORIANTHI ROCK CANDY (Frontiers Music) 8/10

DAVID CROSBY & THE LIGHTHOUSE BAND

LIVE AT CAPITOL THEATRE

BMG 9/10

Back in 2016

David Crosby released his Lighthouse album and has continued to work with this line-up ever since, featuring Becca Stevens, Michelle Willis and Snarky Puppy founder and bassist Michael League. This is the first live solo release from Croz and that fact is celebrated by the release of the full concert on DVD. Even in his late 70s, as he was at the time of the recording – he’s 81 now – Croz has lost none of the soaring power of his vocals, and his songwriting is as strong as ever. The set begins with two new ones, The Us Below and Things styled Follow Your Hear features a great vocal, tasty guitar fills and a singing guitar solo. As for Steve’s blues soloing, check out She Gives Lessons In BluesPentatonic phrasing, Hendrixstyle catch bends and Walshesque staccato slide licks. Good stuff indeed. (JS)

Bill Frisell

FOUR

(Blue Note) 8/10

Bill Frisell’s third album for Blue Note Records sees him in a quartet setting with Gerald Clayton on piano, Johnathan Blake on drums and Greg Tardy on sax and clarinet. With no bassist, the music has a bright sound, the two polyphonic instruments doing much of the contextual harmonic setting as everyone takes turns with the top lines. Initiated over lockdown, Bill’s musical sketches and ideas

The PRS wielding rocker has released a follow-up to 2020’s O, with 11 tracks collated under the title of Rock Candy. Rock it sure does from the opening instrumental, Illuminate (part 1), with its Vai-like tone and phrasing (a tasty sweep too) through to the penultimate pounding pop stomper, Getting To Me (searing Pentatonic licks and string bends). Light It Up would be a good gig opener with four-on-the floor drums, an infectious drop D riff and big vocal stacks. The country pop-rocker, Where Did Your Heart Go features melancholic verses and screaming choruses with bluesy guitar fills and screaming bends in the solo. Red Light pumps hard, reminiscent of US bands like Nickleback; the solo ends with a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ arpeggio lick that evokes Paul Gilbert (Racer X) and Jeff Tyson (T-Ride) style chops. The electronically infused Void switches between frugal verse arranging and huge chorus with a powerful octaver effect on the guitar riff. If you fancy a genre mashup of catchy songs from one of rock’s premier guitarists, then this album comes highly recommended. (JS)

We Do For Love. Both mellow and beautiful with engaging harmony vocals that will inevitably draw comparisons with his CSN&Y days. The rest follows suit with some gorgeous arrangements of solo material; it’s not until track 12 that he tips a hat to the old band with Guinevere, Déjà Vu and Woodstock. Stunning! [DM]

Gary Moore

A DIFFERENT BEAT

BMG 8/10

Originally released in 1999, this album is now receiving its first ever release on double vinyl. But digital audio enthusiasts needn’t despair as it’s available in a deluxe CD format, too, with both version receiving brand new liner notes. The album was Gary’s 12th solo release and finds him trying to shake off his ‘back to the blues’ image by experimenting with a more pop-rock approach. But, as the saying goes, you can take the man out of blues, but you can’t take blues out of the man, and Gary’s roots are showing throughout the album. Worry No More has a harder edge and some great guitar playing, while Surrender is a dark ballad with some masterful soloing. Not his finest album perhaps (our standout track is Surrender), but still plenty here to enjoy. [DM]

MORE OF THE WORLD’S BEST LESSONS…

CARL VERHEYEN

Good To Go

This great American session player performs and explains a vibrant solo over Jason Sidwell’s track!

JULIO SAGRERAS

El Colibri (The Hummingbird)

Declan Zapala arranges and tabs this stunning piece from an Argentinian guitarist, teacher and composer.

THE CROSSROADS

Hendrix turbo-charged blues

John Wheatcroft shows the links between Jimi’s fiery blues style and those that came before and after.

ANT LAW

Playing lead in 4ths tuning London based Ant Law demonstrates a variety of stuning phrases and licks in 4ths tuning.